LAHORE: Former prime minister and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif Wednesday said the courts are under pressure to get desired verdicts while the parliament has been turned into a ‘puppet and rubber stamp.’
“People tell me that someone else is running the parliament; other people come and give directions about the day’s agenda and voting on bills,” Nawaz said while virtually addressing a meeting of the PML-N’s central executive committee (CEC) here at the party secretariat.
The top leadership of the PML-N discussed the situation after to arrest of party president Shahbaz Sharif. The members of the CEC urged Nawaz Sharif to remain in the United Kingdom until his treatment is completed and doctors allow him to return to Pakistan.
Nawaz, however, said he is available for the country and party, and would welcome their suggestions irrespective of his bad health. He also mentioned about AJK premier Raja Farooq Haider and former Gilgit Baltistan CM Hafiz Hafeez ur Rehman and sought their inputs.
Addressing the members, Nawaz asked whether one should accept that he was rightfully removed from the office of PM and raised a number of questions about the state of affairs in the country.
Commenting on the country’s current political situation, Nawaz said: “We have been freed of the colonisers only to be enslaved by our own. Today, we are not free citizens.”
He mentioned that a personnel of a sensitive organisation could be seen hiding his face during the hearing of a case against him by the National Accountability Bureau. “What was the reason behind hiding his face? You were being insincere that’s why you hid your face,” he said.
Expressing sadness over the arrest of Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif, the PML-N supremo said that Shahbaz has shown unparalleled strength and courage during these times and paid tribute to him for serving the nation with honesty and working day and night to set up power plants in Punjab. He added that Shahbaz never bowed down in the face of difficulty and played role in strengthening our narrative. “I am proud of my brother who has sent an example of being loyal and committed to one’s ideology,” Nawaz said: “Our spirits will not be dampened by what is happening rather the party would double its efforts; we are proud that our party workers are facing the current situation with courage. There is no example in history of the treatment which was meted out to our children.”
Nawaz said: “Our struggle will continue until nation gets rid of the incumbent government.” He also announced that the opposition will launch anti-government campaign from Quetta.
Slamming the incumbent government, Nawaz said Shahbaz Sharif was arrested instead of Lt-Gen (r) Asim Salim Bajwa. Those who brought incompetent person to power are also responsible for the present situation, he said. “If the nation decides, change will come in a few months/weeks.”
He said: “Everyone would have to admit that the 2018 general elections were rigged, our assembly is compromised.” He stressed the need to be clear on the narrative whether one should accept rigging as destiny and move forward. “We accomplished everything required by the country despite the sit-ins,” he remarked.
He also recounted achievements of the PML-N during its tenure and said inflation was under control, flour and sugar were available at cheap rates while the GDP rate was 5.8 percent which has now turned negative.
Earlier, PML-N senior leader Ahsan Iqbal told media that the NAB is blind of one eye which can see opposition only. “The NAB is being used for political revenge as it has accelerated action against opposition after All Parties Conference (APC),” he said.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020